Process of manufacturing rubber heels or soles.



Patented June 419, 1917. l 5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F'. D. PHILP. l i PROCESS 0F MANUFACTURING RUBBER HEELS `0R SOLES. 1,230,510,

APPLICATION FILED AUGKIH ISIS.

r. n1. PHILP. PROCESS (JF MANUFACTURING RUBBER HEVELS 0R SOLS.

A I. APPLICATION FILED AUG.17| l9l 6. 1,230,510.

Fredem'dQDfPbil l 5 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.`

F. D. PHILP.

PROCESS 0F MANUFACTURING RUBBER HEELS 0R SOLES. ARPLICATIpN FILED Aus.l7, |916.

- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1 1 v 315.15. 25 23 /25 'I7 Z3 g LT"= y muzz-I 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 'Patented June 19, 1917.

5p. PHILP. PRoc'Ess 0F MANUFACTURING RUBBER HEELS 0R soLEs APPLICATIQN FILED /\ua.`|1."191.6.` 1,230,510'.

1 F. n. PHILP.` PROCESS 0F MANUFACTURING RUBBER HEELS 0H SOLES.

APPLLCATUN FILED AUG. 11| A|916 ,N l 1,230,510, Patented June 19, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5. 4

` A, A Y n I 1; Ina/@Ma Fmdriclpilp UNiTED n STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK D. PHILIP, F ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNR 0F ONE-HALF TO ALLEN A. TBMPLETON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

PROCESS 0F MANUFACTURING RUBBER HEELS 0R SOLES.

Specification oi' Letters Patent.

Patented J une 19, 191,7.

Application iued migust 17,1918. seriaiivo. 115,395.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK D. PHILP,

.a citizen of the United States of America,

'residing at Royal Oak, in the county ot Oakland and State of Michigan, have 1n- Rub- 'I`his invention relates to aprocess of manufacturing rubber heels or soles and the invention is characterized by utilizing rubber considered as scrap, seconds, and of such nature as useless forthe purposes for which it was originallyintended. A good example I of such rubber are solid tires, and as :he .majority of solid vehicle tires are largelypure rubber and possess a. high degree of resiheiicy, such material is a desideratuin 1n rubber heels` and soles.

The primary object of my 'invention is to expeditiously and economically produce rubber heels and soles from discarded solid rubber tires, and the process by which I have produced heels and soles involves a plurality of operations or steps ,that insures u A maximum number of heels or soles from the discarded rubber, with a minimum waste or scrap, although such waste or scrap may be used for by-products.

Briefly considering the various operations, a tire is first cut into segments or pieces of adesired length and this cutting may be performed by machine or hand. Second,v a piece of the tire is flatted in a suitable holder with any rough or irregular surface of the tire exposed. Third, the piece of rubber while held in its holder is subjected to the action of a grinder,r for instance an 'emery Wheel, so that the roughened surface ofthe piece of rubber may be ground dow'n and irregularities removed therefrom.

Fourth the ground piece of rubber is divided longitudinally into slabs or' strips of a predetermined thickness and this operation can be advantageously performed by sawing 'the rubber. A band saw may be used with a carriage that will hold and automatically feed the piece of rubber to the saw. Fifth, the slab is punched or cut in provide aheel blank 'a'.nd the heel blank branded and apertured. All of these operations will be hereinafter more fully considered, together' with machine parts that may be used in producing heels or soles, and while I will herein principally refer to the produetion of heels, it is to be understood that soles can be as readily produced by the process.

In.the drawings, 4 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a piece of solid vehicle tire from which heels, in accordance with my invention, may be manufactured;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same piece of tire after havingA the rough and irregular face thereof ground or planed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional View of the 'piece ofv tire divided into a plurality of slabs or strips; Fig. i is-a perspective view of a heel blank cut from one of the slabs or strips shown in Fig; 3;

ig. 5 is a similar view of the same heel blank branded and marked;

Fig. 6 is a similar View' of the branded and marked heel blank' after it has been drilled, this view showing the 'completed article;

Fig. 7 is a plan of a heel die;

Fig. Sis a vertical sectional view of the sine showing a heel blank Cut thereby in a s a Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the die rlctliacted and the heel blank retained in the s a V Fig. l() is a side elevation of a grinding or planing machine that may be used for grinding or planing rough and irregular face of rubber shown in- Fig. 1 to produce the smooth face shown in Fig. 2;

Fia. l1 is a' plan of the machine, this vieu-as well as Fig. 10, ,showing a holder for a piece of rubber;

Fig. l2 is a bottom plan of a. holder for the piece of rubber; l

i Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view of the same;

Fig. 14 is a plan of a portion of a band saw that may be employed for dividing a piece of rubber into slabs, as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. i5 is a front elevation of a carriage .forming part of the band saw;

tnneously cutting, branding end d i Fig. 19 is uv dingrn'rnniutic plan of an arrnngemenl'. of machines by which my process may be expeditiously carried into effect.

ln desi. ihing4 my process by uid ot the views above referred to, .T desire to point out that the sinne are merely illuetl.ntiife .nu' an example. of i'nnclnne elements und Amodus opera/ndi by which my process may be cnrried into eiect, and; l. do not care to confine myself to thi machines or the prf "'.;e prod uct Shown. The following description is 'therefore to be broadly minstrucd as including such substitute devices and operation as are the mechanical or obvious equivalent of those to be hereinafter referred to.

As outlined in the general statement of my invention, I utilize the good rubber in discarded solid vehicle tires and often such ti res are secured known as seconds, which nre 4in excellent condition and may eli minato the third step of my process, that of grind ing' or planing rough andirregular surfaces. l-ioivever, a great many tires are received that have been stripped or eut from wheel rims, thereby leavin a tire with a rough and irregular face. he tire is eut into segmental pieces, either by hand or machine, and one of these pieces has been illustrated 4in Fig. 1 where it Will be noted that the inner face 1 of the piece of rubber is ribbed, as at 2, and these ribs are simply an example of a rough or irregular inner face which prohibits the use of this particular face portion of the piece of rubber, until ground or pluned off to present a smooth and uninterrupted face 3, as shown in Fig. 2.

The grinding or planing of the rough portion of the piece of rubber muy be performed while the piece of rubber-,is in its natural segment shape, but I have found that such operation can be more expeditiously und accurately performed by (lettening or distending the piece ot rubber in i. suitable bolder and then subjecting the roughened portion of the' piece of rubber to the action. of :i grinder or pianer, for in stun-3e, a rough einery wheel. 1n Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive, there are shown. a. holder and e. machine. by which the scond and thirdv operations, as heretofore briefly stated, l muy be performed. Thy holder comprises an oblong box 11 baring an open side 5, somewhat simiar to a miter box, and in this boli'f.. placed a longitudinal spacer menib'r G upon which may be placed the outer rounded fs-iceof the segment piece of rubber.. The ieee of rubber is designated 7 and in using the term outer face, I mean that fece of the piecer of rubber that was originally a part of the tread or periphery of a tire, und by referring to the inner face, it to be understood that :neun that portion which was originiiilly on or neur the rim of n wheel. [is tires v :iry in size, the spacer member (l is made removable so that it muy be replaced by a member.' ndnpted for a sliiecial tire section. One of the walls of the box t hns a plurality of set screws and the other Wall a plurality7 of set screws 9 engaging a clamping bar 10, said bur eoperating with the set screws 8 in gripping or bolding'the piece of rubber 7 in the box. XVhen placing the piece of rubber in the box pressure is brought to bear on the inner face of the piece of rubber, at the ends thereof, to force the ends down into the box,'\\'hereby the piece of rubber may be gripped or clamped throughout its length Ato remain flat as possible Within the box. The flattening or distending of the piece of rubber in'the'box may be manually performed or by aid of clamps or other devices.'

The piece of rubber is now in position to be ground or planed and for this purpose u planer 11 may be used havin for its planing instrumentality a roug emery wheel 19. The enieryy Wheel 12 may be driven by a motor or from any suitable source of power, and the planer has an udju'stnble table 13 provided with an adjust` able guide 14 against which may be shifted a flange 15 of the box eh-said iange pro-l viding clearance for the set screws 9. 'With the table 13 adjustable and the box L inverted thereon it is possible to regulate the protrusion of the eznery wheel 12 in the box,

when saidibox is shifted over the emery' wheel. Sometimes the condition of the inner face of the piece of rubber will require one or more passes of the same on the planing machine, but as heretofore nien-- tioned, when the inner face of the piece of rubber is in good condition and smooth as required 'for rubber heels, then the holder and the machine shown in Figs. l() to 13 inclusive can be eliminated as contributing to the production of heels.

The next step or operation is that of dividing the piece of rubber 7 into slabs or strips 8, as shown in Fig. 3 and it is to be noted that .'oy flattening the pieces of rubber and `holding them Hat while dividing into slabs, that lobtain u large or maximum slab aren. For instance, a segment shaped or curved piece of rubber, when. horizontally cut, 'will roduce slabs Varying in area or ot different engths, but 'when the piece of rubber is iattened prior to cutting, the slabs produced are of equal .length and the Width thereof varies us the cross .sectional curvature of the tread portion of the piece of tire. (.ousequently there is a distinct advantage gained by flattening the. curved pieces of rubber before dividing into slabs. .l have found that the operation of producing slabs l. ,i form ofan angle bar with the vertical flange saw provided with an especially designed carriage for holding the piece of rubber and feedin it to .the band'saw. In Figs. 14C to 16 inclsive there are illustrated. the essen y tial parts of an ordinary band saw, namely,

" a table `16 andlthe saw per se, which has been designated 17. l `with guides 18 for theslide members 19of a The `table 16 is provided trackQO and this track is preferably in the thereof constituting lthe track and in a plane parallel with the saw 17. Theslide members 19' a`re `provided with. del/ents 21 to engage :in

the guides 18 and hold'the track in adjustedpositions, said detents constituting meanswhereby` the track may be shifted trans- `versely ofthe. table 1G and provision may be made whereby the track-may be automati- `cally and, intermittently fed'toward the saW 17, for purposes which will presently appear.

Susended. from the track' 2O an'dvmain.- tainedp in relation thereto is a car riage 22, preferably in the forni of a channel bar which has the lupper liange tl'iereof pro* videdwith hangers 23 adapted. to travel upon the track 20.

v carri'agehas spacing rollers 24: contiguous tothe ends thereof and these rollers cop erate y'With the hangers 23 in detachably holding the carriage relative to `the track and maintaining said carriage in parallelism therewith. `That side of the carriage coni frontin the saw 17 is adapted to hold the strip o rubber 7, as best shown in Figs. 15

.and 16, with the inner face ofthe piece of rubber snu against the outer face of the carriage. .he lower edge of the carriage has l permanent gripping members 25 and thea 5.4011

ing members 26, the said gripping. :mem ers engaging theylongitudinal edges `of. apiece of rubber and reta-minor it in snug upper` edge of the carriage has adjustable engagement With the carriaga;` .oth sets of gripping members may be made adjustable an..

simultaneously actuated to grip the 'A longitudinal .edges of a piece of rubber, but

as shown, the carriage 22 can be removed,

`the piece of rubber flattened thereagainst, if

not previously flattenedand then gripped by the members 25 and 26 whereby-the piece ythe carriage @il is a Y of rllbber Will be positively held against accidental displacement. U

`Detachahle relativeto the outer end of ravity carriage iced ing device. Q7 in the "orm ofa cable having a Weigl'it and this device adapted to feed the carriage in. oney direction longitudinally of the table 16 so that lthe piece of rubber .7 will be carried into engagement with the v saw 17. .Adjacent the saw 17y is a strip er .orl delle-eter member 28, and assuming tat the band saw' is in operation and the carriage 22 loaded, as shown, the feeding device'v 27 shifts. the piece of rubber Tintovengage The inner side of the i ment with the saw 17. Figuratively speak- 'y ing the sauT passes longitudinally of 'the piece of rubber and removes the outer face thereof. The slab or strip is deflected away from the carriage by the member 28 and the first slab or strip removed may be considered scrap used in thexmanufacture` of by-prod-l ucts.` By restoring the carriage to normal position, the track 20 maybe advanced to- Ward the saw, a predetermined distance, so that another slab or strip may'be cut from the piece of rubber. These operations are continuous until the piece of rubber has been divided into the desired nmnber of slabs or strips that may be usedin the production of heels; the depth of the heels determines the thickness of the slab, andthe thickness of the slabs the number of slabs cut fromv a` single piece of rubber During these operations it is .preferabley to lock the track 20 against accidentallnovement by clampingit on the table 16, as in- .dicated' at 29, but this arrangement may not be necessary when provision is made for automatically and intermittently moving the track relative to the saw.v

While I have found sawing the .best Way to divide 4a piece of rubber into slabs or strips, one, ata time, it is possible to use' other means to accomplish the same'result, 95

or to simultaneously remove a plurality of slabs or strips from a single piece of rubber. The rubber slabs or strips coming from the band saw are flat, on .account of they length and thickness thereof, and do not tend to curve 'similar to the original piece .of rubber, conseqluently the slabs or strips can be convenient tion, that of simultaneously punching, branding and drilling heels.'

y handled for the final opera- 1 For the purpose of removing heel blanks from the rubber slab 8, ay die is employed in connection with a conventional form of punching machine 31. The hollow heel shaped and knife edge die 30, shown in j, Figs. 8 and `9 is intended for one size ofheel and is one of m'iiiiy that may be used. f Thel die "has a hollowbrl tubular' shank 32 for av f, spring pressed plunger 33,. said plunger A llavinga head 34 With a spring 35 for en' gaging said head. The .expansive force of thespring 85 tends to frce the plunger 33 outwardly and said plunger constitutes means WithinV the die, for holding a heel blank 36 Within the rubber slab 8 after the heel blank has been cut'by the die 30. '.lhe plunger head Bet may' be heated and used as a branding iron, thereby combining the cutting and marking devices.

The die shankBQ is connected'to the plun` ger 37 of the punch 31 in the usual and Well known manner andthe lunger 37 maybe manually or automatical I ered. n y l lAdx'jacent the punch SigiswjaI bran ding and heated branding and marking iron 39, and

gas or electricity may be employed for heating the iron. Y

In alinement with the punch 31 and the branding and marking device 38 is an ordinary drill 40 adapted to be operatedv by an electric motor 4l or from a suitable source of power. The drill 40 has a multiple drill head 42 adapted to be raised and lowered7 and in order. that the punch 31, branding device 38 and drill. 40, may be actuated in synchronism, a rock shaft 43 connects the three devices, and is adapted, through the .medium of pinions and racks, cranls or similar mechanism, to lower the die 30, the branding iron 39 and the drill head 42. The branding iron 39 held normally elevated by a spring sociated With the plunger of the branding iron and the rock shaft 43 is provided with a weighted arm 45 adapted to hold the other two devices normally elevated. At one end of the rock shaft 43 is a hand lever 4E and connections 47 with a treadle 48, thus per-- mit-ting of the hand or foot being used to operate the devices in unison.

To carry 'the rubber slabs 8 into position 'to be operated on, an endless conjveyer or belt 49 is employed and t ained over pulleys 50 on shafts 51 and 52, journaled in suitable bearings 53, carried by a base frame 54. The base frame 54 supports an oblong table 55 under the 'upper strand of the conveyer er belt 49 to support the same during the operation of the three devices. The conveyer or belt 49 hasra `cover of non-penetratable or durable material, preferably in the form. of closely arranged slats 56 of vulcanized rubber and it is upon these slats that the rubber slabs are placed, en d to end and detachably connected to the conveyer if neces To intermittently move the conveyer 49 the shaft 52 is provided With a ratchet Wheel 57 normally' engaged by a gravity pawl 58, carried by an operating lever 59 loose on the shaft The operating lever 59v is movable in front of a sector frame fl()7 carried by one ot the bearings 53, and the sector frame 60 is provided with adjustable stop members 61 and 62. These stop mem bers limit the movement of the lever 59 and consequently the intermittent advance of the conveyer 49 beneath the three devices', but saiddstops can be adjusted whereby the conveyer 59 Will have a desired movement and consequently properly place the 'rubber slabs 8 beneath the die 30, branding iron 39 and drill head 42.

Assuming that rubber slabs have been placed upon theconveyer, end to end, or that the three devices have` been placed in such juxtaposition as to operate upon a single slab7 the die 30 will produce the hee-l 'tended for he vtions care is taken to p 'ing and such hand and another branded and marked heel blank is drilled as shown in Fig.. so to provide the ordinary openings or apertures that receive nails er other fa ring means when attaching the -xl to sl Y The r liber si s when leaving the drilling machine 40 contain con'njlleted rubber heels which may be discharged in chutes 63 and carried .by coun er 64 to a suitable pack ing place. Tlug-s; last tivo mentioned ele- .ments hav' e en sln'nvn .in ll" 19' illustrating an arrangement oli' the various n'iz'ichine elements by which a large number of heels may be expeditiousl manufactured. The slabs from which the hed heels have been removed may be used in the manufacture of lay-product? or heels ot a smaller size .may be out therer ,nr Fori tened-bv ferring to Eig. l?, 'will noted tl i heels 65, co iincnly Cabanheels may be cut In the remaining material., and urthermine that it iossible to cui; two el by i gr ater nun'iber of machines to sin, ry opera-te upon the rubber slab..

As subs uK` lor the three machines, 317 38 and 407 l desire .1o direct attention to the fact that rubber slabs may be placed in suitable jigs. branding ,ns and multiple drill heads si inultaneo j er successively brought into action to produce rubber heels in, accordance with my inver n .From the 'lei ning, it will be observed that the process broadest aspect involves toe prod. ctr .i o1; slit from vulcani? rubber not originally in soles, and in contradis rubber compositions especially pre s fed, treated or made overfor heels s: T yre that rubber heels and sol or shaped from rubber prior to 'the' saine being vulcanized, whereby my 'improved process specilically relates to production l rubber heels and soles troni rubber that has been previously vulcanized. Besides tires., a great many other high grade of rubber can. be utilized, but I unoy ing the re, li n" wh ich heels 'may made must necessarilybe trimmedto eliminate injured o'r irregular portions, and throughout the various operarevent burning, crowding of the rubber as would cause the same to deteriorate or inm jure the natural surface et the rubber` multiple die holders, multiple' heels and soles no commercial rubber possess lll) l so. portions of ,the tire pieces and dividing them What I claim is l. A process of manufacturing heels from rubber tires, consistin of dividing a tire 'into segment shaped pieces, holding the tire pieces in fiat condition and While so held dividing the tire pieces into slabs, and punching the slabs to provide heel blanks.

2. A process of manufacturing heels from rubber tires, consisting of dividing a tire into segment shaped pleces, holding the tire pieces in Hat condition and While so held re moving 'irregular portions from the tire pieces, dividlng thetire pieces into slabs,

and `punching the slabs to provide heel blanks..

3. A process of manufacturing heels `from rubber tires, consisting of cutting a tire into segment shaped pieces, holding the tire pieces in a flat condition, dividingthe tire pieces into slabs, punching the slabsvto provide heel blanks, and successively branding l and aperturing the heel blanks.

4. A p rocess of manufacturing heels from rubber tlres, consisting of dividing a tire into se ent shaped pieces, holding the tire pieces 1n a flat condition, removing irregular portions of the tire pieces, dividing the tire pieces into slabs, punching the slabs to provide heel blanks, and successively branding and aperturing the heel blanks.

5. A process of manufacturing heels from rubber tires, consisting of cutting a tire into segment shaped pieces, holding the tire pieces in a flat condition and while so held 1 dividing the tire pieces into slabs, punching the slabs to provide he'el blanks, and branding the heel blanks While retaining them in the slabs. 6. A process of manufacturing heels from rubber tires, consisting of cutting a tire ,into segment shaped pieces, 4holding lthe tire piecesina Hat condition, dividing the tire pieces into slabs, punching the slabs to provide heel blanks, retaining the heel blanks in the slabs, and successively .branding and aperturing `the heel blanks while in the slabs. 7. A process of manufacturing heels'from rubber tires, consisting of cutting a tire into 4segment shaped pieces, holding the tire pieces 'in a' flat condition and While so held remov- `ing irregular portions of the tire pieces, di-

viding the tire pieces intb slabs, punching the slabs toy provide heel blanks, retaining the heel blanks in saidslabs and then sue cessively branding yand aperturing the heel blanks in theslabs. 8. A process of manufacturing heels from rubber tires, consisting of dividing a tire into pieces, holding the tire pieces in flat conditionand while so held removing irregular into slabs, punching the slabs to provide heel blanks, retaining the heel blanks in the slabs, and branding and marking the heel blanks while retained by the slabs.

9. A process of manufacturing heels fromV rubber tires, consisting of cutting` a ltire.r

into pieces, holding the tire pieces in flat. condition `and While so held removingthe" irregular portions from. the tire pies ind dividing Athem into slabs, punching the'tlabsfy to provide heel blanks, retaining the heg blanks in the slabs, branding and markingl the heel blanks, and then drilling the heell 1ivr blanks While so retained to provide alici'.

tures. l, 10. process of manufacturing heels v from rubber tires, consisting of cutting a tire into segment shaped pieces, holdin thel w tire pieces in flat condition and Whi e so held dividing them into slabs, punching the slabs to provide heel blanks, retaining the .heel blanks in the slabs, branding the heelA the heel blanks While held by said slabs; and then removing the heel, blanks from the slabs. f 11, A process of manufacturing heels from rubber tires, comprising cutting a tire into pieces, holdin said pieces in flat con-7 'blanks While held by said slabs, drilling" dition, planing said piecesy While so held,

dividing said pieces long'tudinally into slabs While so held, and then moving the slabs beneath a cutting die and cutting heel blanks therefrom.

12. A process of manufacturing heels from rubber tires, comprising cutting a tire into pieces, holding said pieces in fiat condition, planing said pieces While so held, dividing said pieces longitudinally into slabs While so held, moving said slabs beneath a cutting die, cutting heel blanks therefrom, and then moving the heel blanks beneathwbranding irons and marking them thereby.-

into pieces, holding said pieces in flat condi- .'tion, planing said pieces While so held, sawing said pieces longitudinally into slabs r-vvhile so held, moving said slabs beneath cutting dies, cutting heel blanks therefrom, moving the heel blanks beneath branding irons, marking them 'thereby and hen mov-` ing the branded heel blanks bene th .drills and aperturing them thereb l 14. A process ci? manufiicturing heels from rubber tires, `consisting of putting ay tire into pieces, flattening and securing the tire pieces in a holder, planing the l tire pieces While held in the holder, removing the tire pieces from the holder and sawing saidy pieces to provide slabs, movin the slabs beneath dies, cutting heel b anks therein and then successively branding and aperturing the heel blanks.

15. A process of manufacturing heels from rubber tires, consisting of sawing the tire into slabs, intermittently moving the slabs and cutting heel blanks from the slabs 105 13. A process for manufacturing heels from rubber tires, comprising cutting a tire 17. A process `of manufacturing heels vfrom rubber tires, comprising cutting the tire into slabs, moving the slabs beneath cutting dies, cutting out heel blanks from the slabs, and using Dthe slabs conveyers to move the heel blanks from beneath the cutting dies to brandngtools, branding the heelblanks, moving tbe heel blanks from `beneath said branding fools to aperturing tools, and aperturing the heel blanks thereby. 1

18. A process of manufacturing heels from a material previously used in Inanufacture for purposes other than that of heels and in such form as to preclude the dividing the material into slabs of maximum area, comprising flexing the material to increase the slab area thereof, cutting slabs from the material While flexed, and then' cutting .heel blanks from the slabs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence 0f two Witnesses.

FREDERICK D, PHILP.

Witnesscs:

KARL H. BUTLER, Gf. MCGRANN. 

